In the mid 1800’s, the primary purpose of state and county fairs was to promote the exchange of innovative agricultural technology and farming processes to farmers who were looking to improve their crops and livestock. In the middle of the 1900’s, as the United States moved towards an industrialized and modern country, the fairs expanded to include rides, food, games, horse racing, demolition derbies, and musical concerts amongst other forms of entertainment. The small family farm still remains an important part of today’s fairs with colored ribbons and trophies going to the winners among various crops and farm animals. The county fair is a magnet for the thousands of people per day who come to enjoy, take a break from their regular work schedules, and spend time with their families, friends and neighbors.
I am fascinated about how people look for distractions from their everyday lives, and what activities they engage in. People reveal themselves differently in a crowd distracted by the noise and activities found at the County Fair. As a photographer, I look for moments where I can create a portrait or document an activity that speaks about the inherent relationships of people to their environments. I am also fascinated with how the different County Fairs change quiet farm fields to bustling waves of people looking for entertainment from the rides, with bright lights powered by huge generators blasting music, to the smells of fried foods, grilled BBQ meats and cotton candy. It is my intention to find a certain truth and reality about people in general. The camera works to document the external, but more importantly, magnifies the mysteries which exist within oneself.
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